The Princess and the Pauper
by lesbianpapyrus
Summary: A little princess meets a young monster from the kingdom she rules. Toriel/Snowdin shopkeeper fic. #12 of a series of Undertale ship drabbles for LGBT Pride Month.


Once upon a time, there lived a little monster princess in a shining castle.

The princess was lauded across the land for her beauty, both inside and out. Her white velvety fur, deep burgundy eyes, and delicately curved horns reflected her kind heart, helping hands, and merciful nature.

From a young age, the little princess had shown great wisdom, listening to the plights of her parents' people, making suggestions to better their lives, and settling arguments with justice and integrity.

The princess wished every day to visit her subjects in person where they lived, but her parents believed it would be dangerous, since thieves and other undesirables often slinked about the town, and they forbade her from leaving the castle.

One night, the princess borrowed an old dress and cloak from a trusted servant and snuck from the castle. As she slipped through the town, cloak and hood shielding her face from outsiders, she marveled at the busy taverns, the delicious smells, and the many different people that rushed around even this late in the evening.

The princess was in such awe that she did not watch where she was going; she bumped into a person in front of her and fell heavily in the cobblestone street, directly in the path of a large horse and carriage. She could only watch in horror as the horse thundered toward her and the driver struggled to slow down. Then a strong pair of hands took hold of her and lifted her back to the safety of an alleyway.

Turning to thank her rescuer, the princess was shocked to see a little monster girl her own age. She was a rabbit monster, with long pointy ears and purple fur like satin, wearing an old but pretty yellow dress. The monster girl did not appear to recognize the princess. She invited her into her house nearby for a drink and a rest before continuing on her way.

But the princess, fearing she would be found out, fled from the alley all the way back to her home.

The next morning, she felt she had behaved terribly toward her rescuer, and she vowed to return to the village that night in hopes of seeing her again.

That night, she found and profusely thanked the little monster girl, who once again invited the princess into her house for a refreshment. The princess accepted, but kept her face hidden, still fearing detection.

The monster girl's house was old and rickety, with stone pieces chipping off the front. But the interior was warm and friendly, and the family who lived there was even more so. The girl's mother and father welcomed the princess with open arms, and the little sister was excited to meet a new person. They didn't have much food—the family explained that the monthly welfare they received from the government still wasn't enough for them to live comfortably—but they gladly shared what they had with the princess, who to them was a complete stranger.

The princess was so touched by the kindness of this lowly family that she felt she should hide herself no longer, and she revealed her face. The family was aghast at having invited royalty into a dingy, poor house such as theirs, but she assured them that she was eternally grateful and would repay them tenfold for their compassion and selflessness.

That very month, all the poor people in the kingdom found their welfare increased such that they were able to eat well, dress warmly, and live comfortably.

The princess continued to visit the little monster girl by night. Over the years, they became the best of friends, chasing each other through the dark woods outside the town, learning from each other, playing together. As they grew older, something stirred inside them, something greater than friendship, but neither had the courage to pursue the feeling.

They both came to regret it. As the princess aged, her responsibilities became greater and she was working far into the night, cutting short her visits to her friend until she could leave the castle no longer. The little rabbit girl, now a young woman, understood, but was heartbroken nonetheless.

The princess married and became queen.

The kingdom broke into war with another and lost, and all the people were forced into an underground prison.

The queen had a son, and several years the later the royal family adopted a child from their enemy kingdom, which filled the underground with hope.

The son and the child died to the enemy, and the king declared war in a fit of anger.

Enemy children stumbled into the underground, and he took their souls to free his people.

The queen became disgusted with her husband's actions and left the castle, not to be seen for a hundred years.

Then one last child fell into their prison, and freed the people with naught but determination and mercy and love.

The monster kingdom disbanded and peacefully joined their enemy on the surface world.

During all this time, the queen had never forgotten her childhood friend, and her childhood friend had never forgotten her.

The queen sought after the villager for weeks, and finally arrived on her doorstep. Upon seeing each other's faces, they fell weeping into each other's arms, relieved to be together again after so long, saying things that they had left long unsaid.

Together, they began to look after the child who had freed them all.

And together, they lived happily ever after.


End file.
